This makes me so thankful for my GS

[Burque73]

brit bikes by Roger, on Flickr

[trevor]

I don't see anything.

[Burque73]

I don't see anything.

Sorry, I thought it showed up. After a hundred or so clicks, maybe this will work.

brit bikes by Roger, on Flickr

[GSXR7ED]

That's too funny!


Ed

[Rob S.]

Plus, he only mentioned "hammer" twice. (If you can't fix it with a hammer, you're not using a big enough hammer.)

I never rode a Norton, but I loved the Commandos because of the ads in early 1970's "Cycle Worlds". The girls in hot pants didn't hurt either!

Reminds me of a fairly recent article in the mag about a writer having a minor stroke trying to kick start his old Triumph. His doctor told him, "you know, they make these with push button starters now." So he bought a new model Bonneville. Electric starting? OK by me. Liquid cooling? No way. The only radiator I tolerate on my old beast is a small oil cooler up front. It doesn't block the view of all those beautiful parts.

To each his own. But that didn't sound like such a "grand day out." And classics? I've owned a Honda CB350, a Kawasaki 900 Z1, and now a Suzi GS1100e. Those will get you a little farther than a mile or two down the road.

[TxGSrider]

That is greatness. It reminded me of some of the old abused bikes I had as a kid.

[Gorminrider]

cruel, but awful funny...!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Jeez. The Commando's, along with the Interstate and others, were complete garbage. The Commando was produced for 11 years and many of it's worst first year problems still existed in the last year, showing how the British learn from mistakes.
It vibrated ridiculously. Can you imagine vibration destroying the carbs? It did. There were many reports of fires because the Amal's float valves leaked from vibration and the points were located under the carbs where the fuel would flood them. Main bearing failures, pistons destroying themselves, pathetic electrical system, center stands that dragged on the ground and kickstands breaking off, speedometer cables almost as long as the bike that tore themselves apart along with the tach cable, rattling seats, clutches that couldn't handle the engine torque.....it would be easier to make a list of things that actually worked.
And to think some magazine (I forget) actually made it bike of the year?
Funny story and so true.

[Buffalo Bill]

With your old Suzuki GS's running so well for so long, don't get smug and forget due diligence maintenance.

[Buffalo Bill]

Get a good look at these Brit bikes

Ok, enjoy how the camera takes a close look at each engine, real Brit engineering here…
(500cc and only 3.5 HP????)))

[red1100]

Love that story. Reminds me of riding with a buddy in the Air Force in 1974 Charleston South Carolina. He had a 69 pan head that was almost as bad. I had a 74 GT 750 that of course ran flawlessly. Following him on the way to Florida numerous small parts fell off,it died for unknown reasons only to restart fairly reasonably. I rode it for a stretch and grew to hate it. Looked cool as hell though. Love my Japanese bikes.

[greg78gs750]

lol, good stuff there. good LOOKING bike, anyway!

[Big T]

500 cc and 3.5 hp?

Yep, it was 1912
The year before, Indian swept the Isle of Man TT with 1,000 cc Powerplus models of 9 hp

[Spyder]

I almost choked on my lunch reading that ! ! ! I thought it was going to be a serious article, about a great afternoon ride! LMAO ! ! ! That is some funny $hit. I had a '72 Iron Head 1000 Harley, many years ago. Was punched and stroked out to a 1250cc, with a 5 degree rake. Was setup for drag. Most hateful bike I have EVER owned. Would spend an hour minimum just getting it ready and started to even think about riding it. But, boy when it ran... Fastest, scariest Harley I have ever been on, lol. Broke my ankle, and shattered 3 bones in my foot trying to kick start it, the LAST time I tried to ride that dam thing. Sold it just as soon as I could walk out to the garage to show it...

[dorkburger]

Ouch...
my cousin had old sportster he bought to flip. I tried to kickstart it and just the opposite happened to me. The mechanism didn’t catch and I rammed my foot with full force into the ground. My ankle and knee hurt for a bit, but nothing like that. That was the first and last time I tried.